A hardware hacker has modified a Mac mini so that it doesn’t necessarily need an AC power connection, and instead can run on the Power over Ethernet protocol.
The project is not a simple one for most. To start, he de-soldered the native Ethernet connector from the motherboard, and modified it.
He used donor components as to not have to spin up a custom solution. Kuleshov took a donor magjack component from a previous project that had the necessary power delivery magnets, and used that to draw power.
All told, he implemented the Power over Ethernet (PoE) standard in the Mac mini, but it’s not clear yet which variant. Regular AC power hasn’t been disabled, and PoE here is used as a back up power source.
Kuleshov is planning on further detailing the project soon. He also has other projects, like a series of rack-mounted Mac mini motherboards, a larger cylinder Mac Pro rack-mount project, and more with the Raspberry Pi.
This story originally appeared on Appleinsider
